I am from Boston. When I talk sports, it is mostly going to be about the Celtics. Most basketball fans seem to need to get a grip. Pierce and KG were traded two years ago to the Nets. The 1st year rebuilding team was okay for a bad one because they were competing for their basketball lives. Danny tried his best to tank them to compete for a top three pick, but it only got us #6. That turned out to be Marcus Smart. He is very good. In his own way he is going to take over the Paul Pierce captain role. He is already an all-star at defense and he has improved on his offense. For most of last year he played on a bum ankle. That's why he wasn't able to get to the rim. Now he is pulling off Dwyane Wade maneuvers, using his strength to hang in the air and muscle in layups over taller players.
So keep an eye on him. Evan Turner is not that good and I don't see where he fits in too much. However, Evan Turner has ice in his veins and will make big plays. If he stays, expect a 20 minute type carved role. I do believe Smart is destined to be a point guard. That could change if someone turns out better than him and is tall enough where Smart can move to shooting guard.
Isaiah Thomas is exceptional. He and Smart are the cream of the crop of the roster. If Smart shows any signs of being an effective point guard, I don't see much room for Evan Turner. Jae Crowder is a million times better at small forward. The rookies are doing well, but who knows how much they will get to play during the season. R.J. Hunter is turning some eyes. He is well-advanced in contrast to the James Young deer in the headlights schtick.
Sullinger is on the clock. It is now or never for him to lose the weight. The Celtics have a million power forwards and guards. The roster is not exactly balanced. But it's early. People expect Danny to make more moves.
David Lee and Amir Johnson are good players. Zeller is underrated for a center. I think Olynyk will fine-tune his game finally. He has a very good attitude and skills that don't grow on trees.
Stevens is a basketball genius. The Celtics should be looking forward to their third straight 25-30 win season. Instead they won 40 last year and made the playoffs. This year they could win 50 and surprise some more.
Stevens took ragtag leftovers, U.S. high school basketball crumbs and molded them into contenders. Look it up. It was at Butler.
There's also less and less deadwood on the current roster, even if we still await the saviour at center.
Gerald Wallace is gone. Johnson and Lee are on one year deals.
The C's will probably not win it all, but anyone thinking they won't continue on from last year and win games is deluded.
Last year I predicted the C's would go 41-41. No lying. I was off by one game. This year I will not try to be as specific and say they will be around the 50 win mark, enough to turn even more eyes.
The Nets could easily go down the tubes. We have their draft pick the next three years. The Celtics don't have to tank. In addition, this recent trade to Dallas of Deron Williams means Dallas isn't tanking. We have their pick also. So maybe the reality is Brooklyn and Dallas lost that trade and Boston won. It is all about Boston.
Other teams are wary of trading with Ainge. He is getting the reputation of never losing trades. For Rondo, we got Crowder and potentially another above average rotation player.
It looks like Embiid is out for another season. Philadelphia is nuts. Of course the NBA is a crap shoot, especially with all the twists and turns of the collective bargaining agreement.
Embiid will probably never amount to anything in the NBA. It's unfortunate, but that's too fricking bad for Hinkie. Those fans are stupid too. I would not watch or pay for any of that crap. One of these stupid seasons where they have no chance and never improve amounted to Joel Embiid whose photo is in the dictionary for two phrases, damaged goods and wasted pick.
The Celtics will be like a professional college team. They are all in it together. The chemistry is excellent. And if a guy like Sully turns out to be sour grapes, Danny and Brad would have no qualms telling him to stay away from the team. They did it to Bogans.
I admit that if Sully finally gets it together, I will root for him. I am pretty sure he will be traded.
There are too many bigs: Jerebko, Sully, Olynyk, Zeller, Mickey, Amir Johnson and Lee.
Jordan Mickey can go to the D league. I guess all could still be on the roster for the season. But two of them are not going to be happy as the fifth and sixth bigs off the bench. Stevens likes to use four of them. At some points he had to go with five of them for a rotation, all five were good with not much room for comparisons. But going with five bigs for a rotation is a strain. These guys need roles and continuity.
I see a trade happening. Seven PF/Centers is too much. I'm guessing preseason starts in three months, so maybe I should give it a rest.
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